roman-cates

[roman-cates]

BACK AT THE GUEST HOUSE…

"Kyle should be here in half an hour or so," Bryce says after a glance at his phone. When he continues, it's somewhat reluctant. "I should turn the power back on before he gets here." The light streaming through the kitchen and living room windows keep the place from feeling dark, but Kyle would have questions if he walked in right now.

"Kyle should be here in half an hour or so. I should turn the power back on before he gets here."

Roman hesitates. He doesn't mind that the power is off— it's light enough as it is and he can't follow Bryce to turn it back on, seeing as he doesn't currently have a wheelchair. Bryce did sound reluctant when he said he should turn the power back on, though... which means it's probably something that actually should be done, not just a suggestion or something similar...

"Okay..." Roman agrees. He wants to add something like, don't be too long, or, please will you come back quickly? But he bites his tongue. He knows Bryce won't take longer than he has to...

[roman-cates]

"No, Ma'am."

Boss looks over the pet's face, and then, seemingly satisfied with the fear she sees there, orders the woman to let him go. The grip on his arm tightens momentarily, then disappears.

"They threatened you. They mentioned a federal investigation?" She seems to read the answer in his face before he can respond. She leans forward. "Tell me exactly what they said."

"Tell me exactly what they said."

The pet's stomach twists a little with nerves. He doesn't particularly want to tell her exactly what they said. They guessed at his true situation pretty well... If he tells her what they said, is she going to think that he said something to lead them to the assumption that he is being held against his will?

Then again, he already told his master everything that was said. What are the chances that Boss already knows everything he told Mal and is checking to see if he'll tell her the truth? Or maybe even checking to see how reliable his memory is?

"When I wouldn't talk to them, they told me, 'We're going to be turning you over to the feds tomorrow.' Then when I still wouldn't talk to them, they said, 'If you're being forced into helping her against your will, we can get you into witness protection'... They didn't really give me any specifics about any sort of investigation. I'm sorry, ma'am."

[roman-cates]

The pet's eyes widen, and while Boss's reaction is subtle, she definitely notices the pet's fear.

"They… thought that I was hurting people. They said… 'if you can dish it out, then you can take it'."

There's a snort from the woman behind him, and the grip on his arm tightens.

"They thought you were 'dishing it out'?" Her voice grows an edge. "How stupid do you think we are?"

Boss's gaze moves from the pet's face to look behind him. "The cops around here aren't exactly Einsteins." There's just a hint of chiding in Boss's voice. Her gaze shifts to the pet's. "Or are you lying to us, Pet?"

"They thought you were 'dishing it out'?" The woman's voice hardens as her grip tightens. "How stupid do you think we are?"

"The cops around here aren't exactly Einsteins." The Boss reproves. Her gaze shifts to the pet's. "Or are you lying to us, Pet?"

"No, Ma'am." The pet shakes his head quickly. He may not exactly be intelligent, but he's not stupid enough to lie to this woman for no reason. And there would be no reason. His master hasn't said anything about keeping any of this a secret.

[roman-cates]

"Why did they punch you?" The hand withdraws from his back. The woman in front of him flashes her blade again, opening the front of his shirt, almost like an unbuttoned dress shirt. Then he's spun around again so he faces the desk.

The woman holding him twists his arm behind his back, just barely causing pain.

"Why did they punch you?"

The pet flinches as he sees the flash of the blade and the front of his shirt is sliced open. It's like... they're trying to scare him. Are they trying to scare him? They said he was being disrespectful earlier even though that wasn't really his intent. Maybe this is their way of asserting their control?

In that case, the pet lets his fear show. He's not all too afraid. He is nervous, but they haven't actually hurt him yet. He lets his eyes widen as he swallows. "They... thought that I was hurting people. They said... 'if you can dish it out, then you can take it'."

[roman-cates]

"It's… on the back of my shoulder, ma'am." The pet looks at the woman behind him, and her grip on his arm tightens. "I'll need to take my shirt off."

There's a pause, and then the woman smiles, as if at a private joke.

"I've got it," she tells him. She doesn't let go of him, just twists a little so her other hand can pull something from her pocket. He can only see a glint of metal before she raises her hand and cuts clean through the back of his shirt.

"Mal's right," she says conversationally. "The shirt helps." She brings the blade up to his shoulder and slides it under the now-loose shirt. It doesn't quite touch his skin before she pulls it towards herself, freeing his shoulder completely.

She looks over his healing shoulder as she puts her knife away. Then, without warning, she grabs his other shoulder and lets go of his bruising arm. She spins him around so his back is to the desk, and pokes at his cheek. "Eyes down," she tells him, her voice flat.

"That's hardly anything," Boss muses. Her finger traces the outline of the bandage that was removed in the last few days. "Seems like it's almost fully healed already."

"He's healthier to start with," the woman holding him replies.

Boss snorts. "True." Her voice changes as she addresses the pet. "You said they punched you, too?"

"I've got it," the woman behind him tells him. She doesn't let go of him and, a moment later, there's a glint of metal and then his shirt is cut open in the back.

"Mal's right. The shirt helps." She brings the blade up to his shoulder and slides it under the now-loose shirt. Although the blade doesn't touch, he can almost feel the cool of the metal before she slices through the shoulder of his shirt, exposing the healing injury.

Without warning, she grabs his other shoulder and lets go of his bruising arm. She spins him around so his back is to the desk, and pokes at his cheek. "Eyes down."

The pet lowers his eyes immediately, not showing the mild fear that prickles in his chest.

"That's hardly anything," Boss muses. Her finger traces over his shoulder— likely over the injury, although it doesn't really hurt anymore, so he can'ttell for certain. "Seems like it's almost fully healed already."

"He's healthier to start with," the woman holding him replies.

Healthier than... Roman? Well... yeah. Pretty much anyone would be, he thinks.

Boss snorts. "True." Her voice changes as she addresses the pet. "You said they punched you, too?"

"Yes, ma'am." The pet replies respectfully, keeping his eyes down.

[roman-cates]

The woman behind him makes a sort of snorting sound as the pet ends his fumbling explanation. Her grip on his arm doesn't change.

"Don't let it happen again," she tells him, and continues speaking before he can respond, "Do you want to see his injury?"

"You should take a look," Boss responds. She's leaning back, and the pet can't see where her attention is anymore. "Show her," she orders the pet.

"Don't let it happen again," the woman behind the pet says, and she continues speaking before he can respond, "Do you want to see his injury?"

"You should take a look," Boss responds. She leans back, and the pet can't really make out where her attention is now. "Show her," she orders.

"Yes, ma'am." The pet nods slightly and turns his head to look back at the woman still holding his arm. "It's... on the back of my shoulder, ma'am. I'll need to take my shirt off." Which he can't really do with her holding his arm like she is...

[roman-cates]

The pet finishes speaking, and it's silent for a moment. Boss's eyes flicker from his face to behind him, and she gives a small nod.

The grip on his arm tightens as the woman behind him speaks: "You think you work 'under our organization'?" Her voice is almost mocking, but there's something else in there. A warning, as if the bruises her hand will leave on his arm don't convey a message on their own.

The grip on the pet's arm tightens. "You think you work 'under our organization'?"

The bruising grip on his arm tells him what he needs to know about the situation he's in right now— about the answer he's supposed to give right now. He hopes.

"I exist to serve my master in whatever way she asks. She works under you, ma'am. That's all I meant. I'm sorry if what I said made it seem as if I had forgotten my place ma'am." He doesn't flinch at the grip on his arm. He can't. He doesn't think that's the right answer right now, even if it does scare him.

[roman-cates]

Happy Holidays!

As we get into the holiday season, posts on this blog will probably slow down. I would like to note that this is temporary and due to the holiday season busyness! The story is not over, just moving a little slower for the next month or so!

[roman-cates]

The woman gives a shrug in response to Boss's look.

"From what you said, seems like they didn't hurt Stryerson's 'on purpose', either."

Boss snorts a little. "Their incompetence is noted." She shifts her gaze back to pet. "What exactly happened, when they hurt you?"

"From what you said, seems like they didn't hurt Stryerson's 'on purpose', either."

So then... Roman was hurt? The pet wonders how angry Mr. Stryerson is at him about that... It wasn't his fault! he couldn't have known that was going to happen— he couldn't have done anything to stop it!

And... part of him is actually a little concerned about Roman, too... He already seemed so fragile. Is he okay? What did they do to him?

Boss snorts a little. "Their incompetence is noted." She shifts her gaze back to the pet. "What exactly happened, when they hurt you?"

"They thought I was working under your organization, ma'am, which I technically am, I think, but nowhere near in the capacity that they thought." The pet's eyebrows furrow slightly as he thinks. "They were punching me, so that was definitely on purpose, but... then, in the chaos of everything, I fell and I hit my shoulder on... I think on the table that they had chained my handcuffs to, ma'am. I started bleeding and they said something about me getting them in trouble before they bandaged it up. I don't think they meant to go that far."

[roman-cates]

"Intentionally?" The question comes from the woman behind him, the one that still has a heavy hand on his shoulder. Boss's eyes fly over to her.

"Did they intentionally harm you?" The woman clarifies quickly.

"Intentionally?" The pet turns just his head to look partially over his shoulder at the woman behind him. "Did they intentionally harm you?"

"I'm not sure, ma'am, but I don't think it was on purpose."

[roman-cates]

Once he's stepped back, Boss takes one of the drinks. She takes a slow sip, her eyes never leaving the pet's face.

"You were captured by police, a few weeks ago," she tells him flatly.

"Yes, ma'am," the pet says, and pales slightly.

Boss snorts. "Relax," she orders him sharply. "I know you didn't talk. You wouldn't be standing there if you did." She puts the glass down on the desk and leans back in her chair. Her voice is almost clinical when she speaks again. "Did they hurt you?"

"You were captured by police, a few weeks ago," Boss tells him flatly, lemonade in hand.

"Yes, ma'am," the pet answers. Is this about Roman? Is he getting in trouble for that right now? That wasn't his fault— he couldn't have done anything to stop that—

"Relax," Boss orders sharply. "I know you didn't talk. You wouldn't be standing there if you did." Her voice is almost clinical when she speaks again. "Did they hurt you?"

Oh, so... then this isn't anything to do with Roman. The pet relaxes a bit. "Yes, ma'am."

[roman-cates]

It's maybe ten minutes later that a different woman approaches the pet. He's standing with lemonades by the office door, his head down. He can see that she's wearing an empty holster on her hip.

The woman steps around him to unlock the office door. She glances his way as she pushes it open, and, seeing that his head has come up, she gestures for him to go through first.

When he enters the room, the area in front of the desk is brightly lit, but the figure behind the desk is somewhat shadowed. It's the same woman that spoke to him outside, he can tell that, but not much else.

"Put the drinks on the desk," she tells him. Her voice is firm, commanding, but not annoyed. The woman behind him steps forward at his back, and, once the drinks are down, grips his shoulder and pulls him back a step.

The pet waits quietly by Boss's office door, head down, lemonades in hand. When a woman comes by several minutes later, he raises his head, watching her unlock and open the door. When she gestures for him to go through, the pet obeys.

Boss is already in the room, her features darkened by shadows, but he can tell it's the same person. How did she get in there? The pet doesn't see any other doors but the one he came through. Did she somehow get in before the pet got to the door with the lemonade?

"Put the drinks on the desk," Boss says. She doesn't sound annoyed, despite what happened earlier, just... authoritative. The pet puts the lemonades on the desk and steps back easily when the other woman pulls him.

[roman-cates]

The woman raises one brow at his response.

"This is my house," she says sharply. "Your master works for me, and that symbol on your chest? That tells people you belong to my fucking organization. Get inside."

"This is my house," the woman says sharply. "Your master works for me, and that symbol on your chest? That tells people you belong to my fucking organization. Get inside."

He still doesn't have permission from his master, but... it sounds like his refusal could get her in trouble. He'll just have to take the consequence dealt by her if he's wrong...

"Yes ma'am," the pet dips his head in respect for just a moment before hurrying to wash up, get lemonades and wait for her.

[roman-cates]

The woman stares at him for a moment, stunned by his reply.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Do you know who I am?"

He's only met her a couple of times before. The things the pet has been told about her have been... scary at best. Still, he doesn't really know who she is. He swallows, nervous, but making himself keep his eyes on her anyway.

"Not..." Not really... "No, ma'am."

[roman-cates]

THAT SAME DAY, ACROSS THE FARM…

An SUV screeches to a halt practically at the door of the main house. It's a little too fast, a little too reckless, and far too close to the pet that is outside cleaning the front windows. After a moment, the passenger window slides down and a woman looks out at him.

"Pet," she calls as the engine turns off.

"Yes, ma'am?" He approaches her respectfully.

She looks him up and down, assessing. "Go inside, wash your hands, get two glasses of lemonade ready, and wait for me with them outside my office."

"Pet."

The pet looks up to see a woman looking at him out the passenger side window of the car that just careened up the drive. He puts down what he's working with and approaches the car with a respectful, "Yes, ma'am?"

Master has brought him to meet this woman before. She called her... Boss. So this is someone with at least some measure of authority over his master. That's one of the main reasons he approached her without hesitation in the first place.

She looks him up and down, as if assessing him. "Go inside, wash your hands, get two glasses of lemonade ready, and wait for me with them outside my office."

That does make the pet hesitate. He's supposed to be working right now. "I don't have permission from my master, ma'am."

[roman-cates]

Bryce puts his hand on top of Roman's, curling around it gently. They sit there in silence.

Bryce loses himself in thoughts of work. How he'll manage to take Mal down— If he can afford to leave her alive. How to do all of it while saving the captives, and how to leave Boss looking good to those on both sides of the law.

Whether Mal will keep her mouth shut if he leaves her alive.

He keeps circling around to what to do about James.

He doesn't speak until hunger begins to gnaw at him.

"You want some lunch?"

Roman and Bryce sit in silence for a long, long while. Roman doesn't try to break the quiet and he doesn't bother trying to think deeply either. He's emotionally exhausted from everything that's happened in the last 24 hours and appreciates the time to sit and be still without worry.

"You want some lunch?"

Roman startles out of his non-thought to realize that over an hour has passed. He is kind of hungry. Especially since he didn't really finish breakfast. "Yeah. Let's eat something."

[roman-cates]

Bryce begins to type out the invitation, then pauses. He asks Roman if they should ask Kyle to pick up takeout or if he should fix dinner. Roman agrees to takeout, and they spend a few minutes arranging that. When they're done, Bryce puts his phone down again.

Roman knows Bryce doesn't like cooking (and honestly isn't very good at it), so he agrees easily to take out. When Bryce puts his phone down again, Roman sets his hand on the table, open.